Power tool with ergonomic handgrip

Abstract

A power tool with an ergonomic handgrip includes a housing with a rear end portion, a first front end portion, a second front end portion, and lateral sidewalls. A working end proximate the first front end portion is configured to be driven by a motor. A handle has a proximal portion coupled to the housing, a distal end portion away from the housing, a rear wall portion, a front wall portion, and a pair of sidewalls, and defines a handle axis. A trigger is coupled to the handle and defines a trigger axis. A first gripping region includes a rear concave recess on the rear end portion and a lateral concave recess extending along at least one of the lateral sidewalls generally parallel to the tool axis. A second gripping region is on the rear wall portion of the proximal portion of the handle. A third gripping region is on the second front end portion of the housing and offset rearward from first front end portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A power tool with an ergonomic handgrip comprising:
 a housing with a rear end portion and lateral sidewalls, the housing defining a tool axis and including a transmission housing portion with a first front end portion and a motor housing portion with a second front end portion, the lateral sidewalls extending between the rear end portion and the first and second front end portions; 
 a motor disposed at least partially in the motor housing portion; 
 a transmission disposed at least partially in the transmission housing portion; 
 a working end proximate the first front end portion, and configured to be driven by the motor via the transmission; 
 a handle with a proximal portion coupled to the housing, a distal end portion extending away from the housing, a rear wall portion, and a front wall portion, the handle defining a handle axis; 
 a trigger coupled to the handle, the trigger defining a trigger axis extending in a direction of trigger movement; 
 a first gripping region including a rear concave recess on the rear end portion of the housing and a lateral concave recess extending along at least one of the lateral sidewalls of the housing generally parallel to the tool axis, the rear concave recess having an innermost point that is closest to the first front end portion; 
 a second gripping region on the rear wall portion of the proximal portion of the handle; and 
 a third gripping region on the second front end portion of the motor housing portion, 
 wherein the ergonomic handgrip is configured to be grasped in a first grip position where the first gripping region receives a thumb and a forefinger of a user with the rear concave recess receiving a web that connects the thumb and the forefinger, the second gripping region receives at least a portion of a palm of the user, the third gripping region receives a middle finger of the user, and the trigger receives at least one of a ring finger and a pinky of the user. 
 
     
     
       2. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein a vertical line extending from the innermost point generally perpendicular to the tool axis intersects the trigger axis at a first intersection point that is forward of a second intersection point where the trigger axis intersects the handle axis. 
     
     
       3. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the third gripping region comprises a generally flat gripping surface. 
     
     
       4. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the third gripping region is offset rearward of the first front end portion. 
     
     
       5. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the third gripping region is offset forward of the trigger. 
     
     
       6. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger axis is generally perpendicular to the handle axis. 
     
     
       7. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger axis is at an acute angle of at least 15 degrees to the tool axis. 
     
     
       8. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the second gripping region includes a convex surface on the rear wall portion of the proximal portion of the handle. 
     
     
       9. The power tool of  claim 8 , wherein the convex surface has a curvature defined by an ellipse that has an eccentricity of less than 0.5. 
     
     
       10. The power tool of  claim 9 , wherein the ellipse has a center proximate to the trigger axis. 
     
     
       11. The power tool of  claim 9 , wherein the ellipse has a minor axis generally parallel to the tool axis and a major axis generally perpendicular to the tool axis. 
     
     
       12. The power tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth gripping region on the rear wall portion of the distal portion of the handle extending along the handle to a point distal of the trigger. 
     
     
       13. The power tool of  claim 12 , wherein the fourth gripping region is substantially straight with a slight convex curvature. 
     
     
       14. The power tool of  claim 12 , wherein the ergonomic handgrip is configured to be alternatively grasped in a second grip position where the second gripping portion receives the thumb of the user, the trigger receives at least one of the forefinger and the middle finger of the user, and the fourth gripping region receives the palm of the user. 
     
     
       15. The power tool of  claim 12 , further comprising a fifth gripping region on the front wall portion of the distal portion of handle adjacent the trigger. 
     
     
       16. The power tool of  claim 15 , wherein the handle has a first depth from the trigger to the convex gripping surface and a second depth that is less than the first depth from the fifth gripping region to the fourth gripping region, the handle has a first width between the sidewalls at the trigger and a second width that is greater than the first width between the sidewalls at the fifth gripping region. 
     
     
       17. The power tool of  claim 15 , further comprising a sixth gripping region on the front wall portion of the distal portion of the handle, distal of the fifth gripping region. 
     
     
       18. The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the motor housing portion is disposed between the transmission housing portion and the trigger along a line parallel to the handle axis. 
     
     
       19. A power tool with an ergonomic handgrip comprising:
 a housing with a rear end portion, a first front end portion, a second front end portion, and lateral sidewalls, the housing defining a tool axis; 
 a motor disposed in the housing; 
 a working end proximate the first front end portion of the housing, and configured to be driven by the motor; 
 a handle with a proximal portion coupled to the housing, a distal end portion away from the housing, a rear wall portion, a front wall portion, and a pair of sidewalls, the handle defining a handle axis; 
 a trigger coupled to the handle, the trigger defining a trigger axis extending in a direction of trigger movement; 
 a first gripping region including a rear concave recess on the rear end portion of the housing and a lateral concave recess extending along at least one of the lateral sidewalls of the housing generally parallel to the tool axis; 
 a second gripping region on the rear wall portion of the proximal portion of the handle; 
 a third gripping region on the second front end portion of the housing and offset rearward from first front end portion; 
 a fourth gripping region on the rear end portion of the distal portion of the handle; 
 a fifth gripping region on the front wall portion of the distal portion of handle adjacent the trigger; and 
 a sixth gripping region on the front wall portion of the distal portion of the handle, distal of the fifth gripping region, 
 wherein the handle has a first depth from the trigger to the convex gripping surface, a second depth from the fifth gripping region to the fourth gripping region, and a third depth from the sixth gripping region to the fourth gripping region, the first depth being greater than the second depth, and the second depth being greater than the third depth, and 
 wherein the handle has a first width between the sidewalls at the trigger, a second width between the sidewalls at the fifth gripping region, and a third width between the sidewalls at the sixth gripping region, the first width being less than the second width, and the second width being approximately equal to the third width. 
 
     
     
       20. The power tool of  claim 19 , wherein the gripping regions are configured to be grasped in one of: (a) a first grip position where the lateral concave recesses receives a thumb and a forefinger of a user, the rear concave recess receives a web between the thumb and the forefinger of the user, the convex gripping surface is received in a palm of the user, the third gripping region receives a middle finger of the user, and the trigger receives at least one of a ring finger and a pinky finger of the user; and (b) a second grip position where the fourth gripping region receives the palm of the user, the convex gripping surface receives the web and the thumb of the user, the fifth gripping region receives at least one of the ring finger and the pinky of the user, and the trigger receives at least one of the forefinger and the middle finger of the user. 
     
     
       21. The power tool of  claim 19 , further comprising a trigger lock-on switch on the fifth gripping region.